| Breakdown
THE LITTLE MERMAID:
ARIEL: female, belt, 18–25, lead, To play late teens. A mermaid girl on the verge of maturity. A soon-to-be-siren with a frisky sense of fun. An innocent, headstrong and spirited, overflowing with feelings that are fathoms deep, and daring to dream about a different world, the world above the sea. Must move well, but need not be a trained dancer. Vocal range: Crystal clear flawless belt to E.
ERIC: male, tenor, 20–26, lead, A prince among men, possessed of all the royal attributes that leave the girls breathless. But beneath the easy charm, the handsome face and the instinctive courage, lurks a reluctant ruler who’d happily trade his crown for a life on the bounding main, who’d gladly renounce his throne in search of something to fight for, someone to love. Vocal range: Must be able to sing in a very controlled lyrical tenor or baritenor. Gorgeous soaring sound to A.
SEBASTIAN: male, baritone, 25–55, lead, Caribbean. A crab. The court composer, world-class suck-up to King Triton, and a ‘side-stepper’ by nature. Ariel’s unwilling protector under the sea, and later, in the inhospitable world above. Speaks with a Caribbean accent. Good sense of comedy, good dancer and singer. Vocal range: Strong character calypso sound. Baritone to E.
FLOTSAM and JETSAM: males, tenor, 20–38, lead, Two eels, high-voltage low-lifes who are Ursula’s lackeys and partners in crime. Good comic actors and good movers. Vocal range: Light seductive tenor to B with falsetto to a high D;
KING TRITON: male, baritone, 35–45, supporting, The Son of Poseidon, King of the Undersea World, with a profound belief that the Human World is dangerous and to be shunned. A powerful, uncompromising monarch, and the harried father of seven mermaid daughters. Commanding, regal, charismatic, sexy – and, when it comes to his girls, especially his youngest, Ariel – a doting and deeply devoted dad. Vocal range: booming baritone to strong E;
URSULA: female, alto, 32–46, supporting, Sorceress of the Sea, King Triton's sister who was banished for dabbling with "blank magic," manipulates Ariel in a plot to claim the throne of the Undersea World for herself.
GRIMSBY: male, 35–55, supporting, Prince Eric’s British guardian, long-suffering, no-nonsense and big-hearted. More a companion and confidant than a guardian, without whose astute counsel Eric would be lost, and at sea. A source of advice, a center of gravity. Occasionally exasperated by, but entirely devoted to, his young charge, the Prince. Vocal range: Light character vocals only, patter a la Gilbert and Sullivan;
FLOUNDER: male, soprano, 10–12, supporting, boy fish of 10-12 who can sing and move well. A little fish in a big pond. A faithful friend small enough to look up to the little mermaid, Ariel. What he lacks in courage he more than makes up for in enthusiasm. Vocal range: Boy soprano with good pop sensibility. Belt to a strong D.
SCUTTLE: male, tenor/baritenor, 25-55, A seagull. Fancies himself the ocean’s Greatest Living Expert on humans and their peculiar (and often revolting) stuff. Full of confidence, positivity, and, of course, feathers. Ariel depends on him for the bird’s-eye view of the world and life. A real song and dance man-type, will tap. Vocal range: Very strong character tenor or baritenor with a solid high A.
CHEF LOUIS: male, baritone, 25-50, A human, French Chef extraordinaire, a culinary perfectionist with a particular affinity for dishes with fishes. Must be a good dancer. Vocal range: Sings Les Poissons a la Maurice Chevalier. A character baritone;
GREASE:
DANNY ZUKO: male, tenor, 18–25, lead, the leader of “The Burger Palace Boys,” well-built, handsome, with an air of cool, easy-going charm. Strong and confident. Able to play basketball and ride a motorcycle a plus!
SANDY DUMBROWSKI: female, soprano, 18–25, lead, Danny’s love interest. Sweet, wholesome, naïve, cute, like Sandra Dee of the “Gidget” movies.
FRENCHY: female, soprano, 18 – 25, lead, a dreamer. Good-natured and dumb. Heavily made-up, fussy about her appearance—particularly her hair. She can’t wait to finish high school so she can be a beautician.
KENICKIE: male, baritone, 18 – 25, lead, second-in-command of the Burger Palace Boys. Tough-looking, tattooed, surly, avoids any show of softness. Has an off-beat sense of humor.
RIZZO: female, mezzo, 18 – 25, lead, leader of the Pink Ladies. She is tough, sarcastic and outspoken but vulnerable. Thin, Italian, with unconventional good looks.
ROGER: male, tenor, 18 – 25, supporting, the “anything-for-a-laugh” stocky type. Full of mischief, half-baked schemes and ideas. A clown who enjoys putting other people on. Able to ride a motorcycle a plus.
JAN: female, mezzo, 18 – 25, supporting, chubby, compulsive eater. Loud and pushy with the girls; shy with boys.
DOODY: male, tenor, 18 – 25, supporting, youngest of the guys. Small, boyish, open, with a disarming smile and a hero-worshipping attitude toward the other guys. He plays the guitar.
MARTY: female, alto, 18 – 25, the “beauty” of the Pink Ladies. Pretty, looks older than the other girls, but betrays her real age when she opens her mouth. Tries to act sophisticated.
SONNY: male, baritone, 18 – 25, Italian-looking with shiny black hair and dark, oily skin. A braggart and wheeler-dealer who thinks he’s a real lady-killer.
CHA-CHA: female, soprano, 18 – 25, a blind date. Slovenly, loud-mouthed. Takes pride in being “the best dancer at St. Bernadette’s.”
JOHNNY CASINO: male, baritone, 18 – 25, a “greaser” student at Rydell who leads a rock ‘n roll band and likes to think of himself as a real rock ‘n roll idol.
TEEN ANGEL: male, tenor, 27 – 35, cameo, a good-looking, falsetto-voiced Fabian-look-alike. A singer who would have caused girls to scream and riot back in 1958.
PATTY: female, 18 – 25, a typical cheerleader at a middle-class American public high school. Attractive and athletic. Aggressive, sure of herself, given to bursts of disconcerting enthusiasm. Catty, but in an All-American Girl sort of way. She can twirl a baton.
EUGENE FLORCZYK: male, 18 – 25, the class valedictorian. Physically awkward, with weak eyes and a high-pitched voice. An apple-polisher, smug and pompous but gullible.
VINCE FONTAINE: male, 35 – 50, cameo, a typical “teen audience” radio disc jockey. Slick, egotistical, fast-talking. A veteran “greaser”.
MISS LYNCH: female, 40 – 60, an old maid English teacher.
PINK LADIES: females, 16 – 25, chorus, the club-jacketed, gum-chewing, hip-swinging girls’ gang that hangs around with the Burger Place Boys.
BURGER PALACE BOYS: males, 16 – 25, chorus, a super cool, D.A.-haired, hard-looking group of high school wheeler-dealers…or so they think.
|
